As always the hunt for items continues - I may not have as much time as I used to for finding bits and pieces on eBay however when I do find an item I want I make sure there is a reminder in my calendar to pick it up.

This was the case with a recent purchase which saw me acquire an item I had never seen before - a display from the Back to the Future Happy Meal series (including toys).

McDonalds Happy Meals are a great collecting area with demand on popular lines on eBay seeing top prices - Despicable Me Minions and Smurfs are recent examples of lines that people want.

In 1992 McDonalds decided to launch a collection which tied in with the animated series of the classic movie Back to the Future.

Interestingly the Doc toy actually got pulled from the line due to the fact the wheels could come off the DeLorean easily and thus was classed as a choking hazard - this however didn't stop thousands of these already being sold so they don't prove too hard to find even now.

Anyway.....

Picking up this item saw me get into a slight bidding war - and there is no denying its seen better days however regardless my plan will be to put it into a display case and keep safe from further damage.

A few close up shots from the item are below -

These toys can be picked up on auction sites and at car boots even now - the Happy Meal boxes from them can also be found - however I haven't seen a display like this sold before - I am not even sure if any others even exist?

Sometimes, even if the item is a bit beat up, it has to be brought.

These kind of things don't show up too often, and I have learnt from past experience don't regret on missing out for the sake of a couple of pounds!

I'd love to hear from other McDonalds Happy Meal collectors about what lines they collect and if they have been able to obtain ex-display models at all......

We figured we would start small with our first entry – small but with something that has massive collectability!Purchased just over a month ago the first entry from our adventures in collecting is a –

Time Machine Restoration Team Mission Patch.Any story behind it?We all love Back to the Future – I don’t think I have ever met someone who dislikes the films.Writer and producer of the film - Bob Gale - is currently restoring the iconic DeLorean ‘A’ car from the film – from what I understand once the car has been fully restored it will be put on permanent display at Universal Studios Hollywood in a indoor facility – making sure it will forever remain in top condition and intact.This patch commemorates this event taking place.What exactly is it?Pretty simple really – it’s an embroidered souvenir patch - The patch is close to 5’’ in size.Is it rare?

You bet! They were produced in a limited run of just 200 and sold via the excellent BTTF.COM / BTTF.NET store – you’ll note I used the term ‘were’ – that’s because they are all sold out! At a price of just $22.88 and needing to be purchased before the clock tower struck at 10.04 PM on Monday 25th June 2012 time has finally ran out on getting this item!Will it be back?The run of the initial 200 has now gone – perhaps in the future more will become available – but the 200 have gone for good.Where can I get one now?Ebay is going to be your best bet – although you’ll end up paying more than the initial $22.88!And finallyIt’s a cool item – especially if you’re a Back to the Future fan – I love the films (as you’ll see with my posts over time) and this item fits perfectly into my collection. My patch is numbered 166 out of 200 - what numbers have other people got? Feel free to comment if you have one!